Annual Oscar Ritual

The Academy Awards are my favorite television event of the year…. every year. With movies being my ultimate personal passion, this one event becomes the pinnacle of everything I’ve seen over the past year, and it marks the beginning of a new film year for me. And with such investment in these awards, I make a point to see as many of the top-nominated films as possible. Each year. Between nomination day and televised event. ::whew:: You can imagine just how exhausting that could become.

Part of the problem with this plan, of course, is that my opinion of “Oscar-worthy” is not the same as the Academy’s. So, despite having seen a good 50-75 major films each year, I still find myself with a list of 15-20 nominations that I have never seen! In one month’s time (between nominations and awards), with a full-time job and living an hour from a metroplex that might have viewings of the more artful films, this plan becomes quite a logistical challenge. And yet I perservere. Every year. Until I run out of films or ticket money or both.

I’d like to think that this ritual, occurring yearly, would increase my aptitude for determining an Oscar-worthy film. That I would somehow come in line with what the Academy will be favoring. And in some ways I have. But still, every year I find myself having seen some of the best films and performances but being far behind what is nominated. I don’t suppose I’d have it any other way. Seeing movies is what I love. It’s what I do. When people first get to know me, they immediately associate me with movies and Hollywood trivia. It just rolls around in my head looking for a time to be used. So I love this Annual Oscar Ritual, and I mark the nominations day on my calendar every year.

This next Tuesday, January 27th, I’ll be sitting in front of the TV at 7:30 a.m. with pen in hand, marking the cinema listings to determine just how many I can see in the next few weekends. And then, come Oscar Day, I will feel fully prepared to comment on the Academy’s awards. It’s just as with a presidential candidate… if I haven’t voted (i.e. seen the nominated performances), then I have no right to complain about the one who was honored with the win. And the Oscars have no consequences, so why not make it fun?!